Daily Photo Galleries

Traveling by Jeep, boat and foot, Tribune-Review investigative reporter Carl Prine and photojournalist Justin Merriman covered nearly 2,000 miles over two months along the border with Mexico to report on coyotes — the human traffickers who bring illegal immigrants into the United States. Most are Americans working for money and/or drugs. This series reports how their operations have a major impact on life for residents and the environment along the border — and beyond.

For nearly 20 years, that's how the Trib's owner and publisher would greet me in his frequent telephone calls to discuss this issue or that, relay a tidbit he thought might interest me (or get a hoot out of) or pick my brain for what people, ally or “axis,” so to speak, might be thinking.

And it didn't matter whether it was the first call of the day or the third. Neither did it matter if the call came an hour or so after we had just finished eating pizza or sitting with some newsmaker or other guest.

Some people might have found that characteristic to be detached and impersonal. But I found it quite endearing; it was just him. But once, in jest, I responded, “Dick, Colin McNickle!”

Hardly nonplussed, Dick, a man of great and dry wit, deadpanned, “I know.”

Knowing he knew I was being ornery, I decided not to do that again. (Dick surely just chortled from heaven a hearty “Ha!”)

Yes, Dick Scaife was my boss. But he also was my friend. And it's humbling to know he considered me to be the same. Our mutual love of railroads — mine of model railroading, his of the real deal — helped to forge that friendship. But we also quickly learned that we shared an ideological foundation, one that long would confound his friends and foes alike.

Indeed, Dick was a conservative. Some would call him, erroneously, an arch-conservative. And, yes, he's generally, and correctly, credited with playing a critical role in reviving the conservative movement and the Republican Party in the second half of the 20th century with not just his money but his ideas.

Dick, however, hardly was doctrinaire. Witness his support for same-sex marriage, legalizing marijuana and a woman's right to choose, among other things. These were not necessarily liberal viewpoints, though the rock-ribbed right would have you believe that. No, these were libertarian viewpoints, grounded in a constitutional foundation of the right to be left alone, a bedrock principle of the freedom, liberty and independence that Dick so revered.

“You're more libertarian than I am,” he once goaded me in a philosophical discussion about ideological labeling. “I probably am,” I responded. “But I'm a cross between a conservative and a libertarian, just like you — we're ‘contrarians,'” I said.

“I suppose we are,” he said, with that trademark sparkle in those piercing eyes of his.

All of this is not to say we didn't have our differences; what publishers and editorial page editors don't? But while I never kept a formal tally, he could not have disputed that we each won the other over in fairly equal measure. OK, he won more than I did. But, still, it's a remarkable testament to a fella painted as nothing less than an unflinching ogre by unknowing liberal critics.

That said, there were a few times when, after the fact, he disagreed with an editorial. More than a decade ago, an editorial that advocated the shooting of a bear that not merely had roamed into an urban area but actually threatened life and limb drew a short, tart and, as ever, witty riposte: “I would have sided with the bear,” Dick said.

“Message received,” I responded. And that was the end of that.

Hearts are heavy for many with Dick Scaife's passing. Words, the nature of our business, are especially difficult to come by. But carry on we must and carry on we will. It's not just our “job.” It is who we are and what we do. And thanks to Dick, we'll be able to continue his mission.

Once wrote Demosthenes, the Greek statesman, “It is the greatest pleasure of the Athenians to wander through the streets asking, ‘What is the news?” It was Dick Scaife's greatest pleasure to state, “Here is the news.”

Colin McNickle is Trib Total Media's director of editorial pages (412-320-7836 or cmcnickle@tribweb.com).

TribLive commenting policy

You are solely responsible for your comments and by using TribLive.com you agree to our Terms of Service.

We moderate comments. Our goal is to provide substantive commentary for a general readership. By screening submissions, we provide a space where readers can share intelligent and informed commentary that enhances the quality of our news and information.

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderating decisions are subjective. We will make them as carefully and consistently as we can. Because of the volume of reader comments, we cannot review individual moderation decisions with readers.

We value thoughtful comments representing a range of views that make their point quickly and politely. We make an effort to protect discussions from repeated comments  either by the same reader or different readers.

We follow the same standards for taste as the daily newspaper. A few things we won't tolerate: personal attacks, obscenity, vulgarity, profanity (including expletives and letters followed by dashes), commercial promotion, impersonations, incoherence, proselytizing and SHOUTING. Don't include URLs to Web sites.

We do not edit comments. They are either approved or deleted. We reserve the right to edit a comment that is quoted or excerpted in an article. In this case, we may fix spelling and punctuation.

We welcome strong opinions and criticism of our work, but we don't want comments to become bogged down with discussions of our policies and we will moderate accordingly.

We appreciate it when readers and people quoted in articles or blog posts point out errors of fact or emphasis and will investigate all assertions. But these suggestions should be sent via e-mail. To avoid distracting other readers, we won't publish comments that suggest a correction. Instead, corrections will be made in a blog post or in an article.

Total Promotional Solutions

A division of Trib Total Media is your one-stop-shop for all of your branded merchandise needs.

We specialize in providing quality affordable promotional products for every type of business including non-profits, schools, universities, sports teams and more. With 1000’s of products to choose from, our knowledgeable staff can help you find the perfect apparel item or product to suit your needs and budget.

Digital Sales

We offer a wide variety of traditional and new digital advertising options customized to fit your needs!

Whether you're just starting out, or you've been a keystone in the community for years, our knowledgeable staff can provide you with a customized package including online banners/advertisements, Social Media Marketing (Facebook / Twitter), Website development, Search Engine Optimization, Email Marketing solutions and much more!

Contact your local sales rep today for details, personalized proposal and a meeting to discuss how we can meet your needs.